Pages

These poems are works in progress, and may be subject to revision without notice. Completed versions appear in my books. Nevertheless copyright applies to all texts found here.

6 November 2008

Frida Kahlo

I envisaged her with gardenias in her hairlike those over there on the coffee table,big splashes of white, and that scent.‘I think of Billie Holliday,’said the friend who gave them to me.‘She always wore one in her hair.’

So I look instead at her faceknowing of course the tales,her life of pain and turmoiland passion, and most of all love.I gaze at her expression,uncompromising,and the set of her head.Such dignity! She never smiles.

5/11/08Submitted 7 March 2014 for Poets United's Midweek Motif: Honouring women and women's achievements. (I guess this honours her obliquely, not spelling it right out.)

This is pretty direct honoring! You might be remembering the bouquets of White peace lilies Diego Rivera shows her with--but I like how this flows, from friend's gift to rumination to looking at her face. She did that too.